Staff view should prevail on trimesters

January 30, 2009

I attended two of the trimester presentations that were held in the high schools. At Riley and Washington high schools I found a handful of parents and even fewer teachers. Having been with the South Bend Community School Corp. for a number of years I can say that parents and teachers will tell you if you are doing something that they don't agree with. Why is the Board of Trustees not seeing them at the trimester presentations? Because families in the Riley community trust Principal Ed Bradford and the teachers at Riley to have the students' best interest always first in their planning. Talk to almost any parent in the Washington community and you will find that they have the utmost faith in Principal George McCullough and his staff. Then, why doesn't the board have the same trust? It just hired a new superintendent and trustees are not showing that they have faith in him. I think this board has begun to try to run the corporation's day-to-day activities. I hope some of them rethink this and start giving the administration latitude to try to raise test scores and improve graduation rates. If they continue to tie hands, the results will belong solely on the board's shoulders.

Peg McAllisterTeacher, Hay Primary CenterSouth Bend

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Tried, failed I am writing in response to Gregory Mackey's Jan. 9 letter, titled "Capitalism," in which Mackey touts the free market ideology: Let corporate America regulate itself. Oh, please, after the last several years of Bernard Madoff, AIG, Enron, Worldcom, Tyco and contractors for profit health care, I trust corporate America with nothing, basically. I support government oversight, because big business just lost the privilege of trust. Has Mackey noticed? What I have seen over the last several years is that I want the government "to promote the general welfare" of the people, as in our greatest document, the U.S. Constitution. As for unchecked, uncontrolled capitalism, I find it not to be much of a Christian value to lie, cheat and steal from the American consumer.

Jim LichkaySouth Bend

Promises kept On Sept. 11, 2001, I bowed my head -- and I cried. On Jan. 20, 2009, I bowed my head -- and I cried. The first time brought tears born of shock, grief and fears. The second time, once more I wept. But this time I cried tears of honor and pride ... in a great nation's promises kept.

Mik PerrySouth Bend

Coming History repeats itself once again: 1777 -- The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming. 2009 -- The taxes are coming, the taxes are coming, the taxes are coming.

Jamie O'BrienGranger

Generosity For many years now, our community has supported Plymouth Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 195 in the annual Shop with a Cop program. This year, the need was greater than ever, and our fear was with the declining economy, donations to support this event would be less than ever. However, when the need was the greatest, so was the support of the members of our community. This year, we were able to take more than 300 children shopping for Christmas. Let me put 300 children in perspective:Marshall County has a population of about 45,000. Compare that to the city of San Diego -- population 1.2 million. The 45,000 people in Marshall County donated enough money to take 300 children shopping; the San Diego community also raised enough money to take 300 children shopping. This is a tremendous testament to this community's generosity. The greatest charity is derived from anonymity. Their donation to our program was not made for their own recognition. What they have done through their support has enlightened the holiday season for a child who would have gone without. On behalf of the hundreds of smiles, tears and thank yous on the day of the shopping, thank you to the community for an outpouring of support.